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Candle Making

Candle making was developed independently in many places throughout history.[1]

Candles were used by the early Greeks to honour the goddess Artemis' birth on the sixth day of every lunar month.

Candles were made by the Romans beginning about 500 BC. These were true dipped candles and made from tallow. Evidence for candles made from whale fat in China dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).[2] In India, wax from boiling cinnamon was used for temple candles.[2]

In parts of Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, where lamp oil made from olives was readily available, candle making remained unknown until the early middle-ages. Candles were primarily made from tallow and beeswax in ancient times, but have been made from spermaceti, purified animal fats (stearin) and paraffin wax in recent centuries.[1]

Antiquity

The early Greeks used candles to honour the goddess Artemis' birth on the sixth day of every lunar month.

Romans began making true dipped candles from tallow, beginning around 500 BC.[3] While oil lamps were the most widely used source of illumination in Roman Italy, candles were common and regularly given as gifts during Saturnalia.[4]

The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), contained candles made from whale fat. The word zhú was used as candle during the Warring States period (403–221 BC); some excavated bronzewares from that era feature a pricket thought to hold a candle.[5]

The Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) Jizhupian dictionary of about 40 BC hints at candles being made of beeswax, while the Book of Jin (compiled in 648) covering the Jin Dynasty (265–420) makes a solid reference to the beeswax candle in regards to its use by the statesman Zhou Yi (d. 322).[5] An excavated earthenware bowl from the 4th century AD, located at the Luoyang Museum, has a hollowed socket where traces of wax were found.[5] Generally these Chinese candles were molded in paper tubes, using rolled rice paper for the wick, and wax from an indigenous insect[clarification needed] that was combined with seeds[clarification needed].

There is a fish called the eulachon or "candlefish", a type of smelt which is found from Oregon to Alaska. During the 1st century AD, indigenous people from this region used oil from this fish for illumination.[2] A simple candle could be made by putting the dried fish on a forked stick and then lighting it.

Middle Ages

The oldest surviving bees wax candles north of the Alps from the alamannic graveyard of Oberflacht, Germany dating to 6th/7th century A.D.

After the collapse of the Roman empire, trading disruptions made olive oil, the most common fuel for oil lamps, unavailable throughout much of Europe. As a consequence, candles became more widely used. By contrast, in North Africa and the Middle East, candle-making remained relatively unknown due to the availability of olive oil.

Candles were commonplace throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Candle makers (known as chandlers) made candles from fats saved from the kitchen or sold their own candles from within their shops. The trade of the chandler is also recorded by the more picturesque name of "smeremongere", since they oversaw the manufacture of sauces, vinegar, soap and cheese. The popularity of candles is shown by their use in Candlemas and in Saint Lucy festivities.

Tallow, fat from cows or sheep, became the standard material used in candles in Europe. The unpleasant smell of tallow candles is due to the glycerine they contain. The smell of the manufacturing process was so unpleasant that it was banned by ordinance in several European cities. Beeswax was discovered to be an excellent substance for candle production without the unpleasant odour, but remained restricted in usage for the rich and for churches and royal events, due to their great expense.

Modern era

'Colonial'-style tapered candle molds

With the growth of the whaling industry in the 18th century, spermaceti, an oil that comes from a cavity in the head of the sperm whale, became a widely used substance for candle making. The spermaceti was obtained by crystallizing the oil from the sperm whale and was the first candle substance to become available in mass quantities. Like beeswax, spermaceti wax did not create a repugnant odor when burned, and produced a significantly brighter light. It was also harder than either tallow or beeswax, so it would not soften or bend in the summer heat. The first "standard candles" were made from spermaceti wax.

Industrialization

Joseph Morgan's candle making machine revolutionized candle making

The manufacture of candles became an industrialised mass market in the mid 19th century. In 1834, Joseph Morgan, a pewterer from Manchester, England, patented a machine that revolutionised candle making. It allowed for continuous production of molded candles by using a cylinder with a moveable piston to eject candles as they solidified. This more efficient mechanized production produced about 1,500 candles per hour, (according to his patent ". . with three men and five boys [the machine] will manufacture two tons of candle in twelve hours"). This allowed candles to become an easily affordable commodity for the masses.[8]

Price's Candles became the largest candle manufacturer in the world by the end of the 19th century

At this time, candlemakers also began to fashion wicks out of tightly braided (rather than simply twisted) strands of cotton. This technique makes wicks curl over as they burn, maintaining the height of the wick and therefore the flame. Because much of the excess wick is incinerated, these are referred to as "self-trimming" or "self-consuming" wicks.[9]

In 1848 James Young established the world's first oil refinery at the Alfreton Ironworks in Riddings, Derbyshire. Two paraffin wax candles were made from the naturally occurring paraffin wax present in the oil and these candles illuminated a lecture at the Royal Institution by Lyon Playfair. In the mid-1850s, James Young succeeded in distilling paraffin wax from coal and oil shales at Bathgate in West Lothian and developed a commercially viable method of production.[10] The Paraffin wax was processed by distilling residue left after crude petroleum was refined.

Paraffin could be used to make inexpensive candles of high quality. It was a bluish-white wax, burned cleanly, and left no unpleasant odor, unlike tallow candles. A drawback to the substance was that early coal- and petroleum-derived paraffin waxes had a very low melting point. The introduction of stearin, discovered by Michel Eugène Chevreul, solved this problem.[11][12] Stearin is hard and durable, with a convenient melting range of 54-72.5 °C (129.2-162.5 °F). By the end of the 19th century, most candles being manufactured consisted of paraffin and stearic acid.

By the late 19th century, Price's Candles, based in London was the largest candle manufacturer in the world.[13] The company traced its origins back to 1829, when William Wilson invested in 1,000 acres (4 km²) of coconut plantation in Sri Lanka.[14] His aim was to make candles from coconut oil. Later he tried palm oil from palm trees. An accidental discovery swept all his ambitions aside when his son George Wilson, a talented chemist, distilled the first petroleum oil in 1854. George also pioneered the implementation of the technique of steam distillation, and was thus able to manufacture candles from a wide range of raw materials, including skin fat, bone fat, fish oil and industrial greases.

Decline of the candle industry

Candles here are used to celebrate a birthday

Despite advances in candle making, the candle industry declined rapidly upon the introduction of superior methods of lighting, including kerosene and lamps and the 1879 invention of the incandescent light bulb.

From this point on, candles came to be marketed as more of a decorative item. Candles became available in a broad array of sizes, shapes and colors, and consumer interest in scented candles began to grow. During the 1990s, new types of candle waxes were being developed due to an unusually high demand for candles. Paraffin, a by-product of oil, was quickly replaced by new waxes and wax blends due to rising costs.

Candle manufacturers looked at waxes such as soy, palm and flax-seed oil, often blending them with paraffin in hopes of getting the performance of paraffin with the price benefits of the other waxes. The creation of unique wax blends, now requiring different fragrance chemistries and loads, placed pressure for innovation on the candle wick manufacturing industry to meet performance needs with the often tougher to burn formulations. [15]

Nature's Blossoms' soy candle making kit was designed to help you to easily create your first candles while getting the highest quality results. This kit comes fully studded with a complete set of tools and accessories needed to make 3 premium scented candles.

Our scents are uniquely crafted by our experienced local scent makers here in the USA, differentiating us from other brands. Once the candle is lit up, you will easily notice the difference.

MADE IN THE USA

This candle making kit is made here in the USA, by the most experienced craftsmen and this guarantees a fulfilling experience. Unlike other brands, the scents we provide are well crafted to spread a pleasing fragrance and relaxing atmosphere.

A PERFECT DIY KIT FOR BEGINNERS

This kit is designed to make candle making process as simple as it can be, all year long. Try out new hobbies and get started with your first candle making experience! And if you are looking for a fun and unique gift idea - this kit makes a perfect DIY gift for arts and crafts enthusiasts!

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A lit scented candle has the power to transform your environment and mood a great gift idea for Girls, Mom, Girlfriend, wife and daughter. That's why we want to make it easier to create your own with our all-in-one home candle making kit! The Dilabee Candle Making Set! comes complete with all the tools you need to create four large soy candles. Unlike other sets, we provide four different colors and scents so that each candle is a unique masterpiece! Contents: !

Not only is candlemaking an enjoyable hobby, it also makes for a great group activity at parties and family get-togethers - with delightful results! With our clear, step-by-step instructions you simply can't go wrong. Delight your mother, sister, friend, wife or any other candle enthusiast with the gift that keeps on giving! CAUTION: All supplies included are only intended for candle making and should not be used in any other manner.

Crafts bring joy, fun, and peace to many, and we want to make it easier. Introducing Hearts and Crafts' Natural Soy Wax. Blended with our 2% natural universal soy wax plant-based additives, and with a 120 degree melt point, your candles will look, smell, and melt beautifully. It can hold up to 8% fragrance for a scent that is more than subtle, yet not overpowering hot throw - the perfect balance.

After undergoing a series of tests by expert candlemakers, the consensus was clear: this wax is a game-changing addition to the craft world.

To make it even better, we decided to add 100 pre-waxed candle wicks (6" in length), ready to use alongside the wax.

Feed your passion, love your craft. Hearts and Crafts brings pure elements into your home to for you to create, craft, and explore your passions. We supply only natural ingredients that will infuse your space with the intrinsic ingredients of nature. One of the wonderful aspects of our job? Hearing from you! If you have any questions, comments, or just want to talk about crafts (cause who doesn't?) just message us! We're excited to hear from you!

When adding scents and dyes to your candles, please be aware that a large ratio of scents/dyes to the wax can influence the burning effectiveness, causing smoke and reducing the ability of your candles to stay lit

Be sure to send us your images and to check us out at heartsandcraftsusa to be featured and to see other amazing creations.

Natural Soy 444 Wax: 10 pound bag - Flakes, priced per bag. This is a good container blend with a 121-125 melt point that is blended with 2% of our Universal Soy Wax Additive. This wax can hold up to 15% Fragrance and has an incredible hot throw. You can also blend this with the 416 Soy wax to create beautiful tarts.

Top Grade Goods Candle Making Pour Pot is perfect for all types of craft & cooking projects that require bain marie or double-boiler melting. This melting pot is recommended for use with Paraffin, Soy Wax, Beeswax, & Soap Bases. It can also be used for Candy Making, Preparing Custards, & Reheating Delicate Sauces (although it is recommended that you keep a separate pot for food-grade melting & a different pot for candle & soap making). This versatile pouring pot is easiest cleaned when still warm, - After melting wax in this pot, just wipe the pot with a dry paper towel to remove wax residue, then wash pot with warm soapy water. - Quality Product - Proudly Manufactured in the USA !!!

The offered high quality soy wax for candle making dyes are suitable for wax and paraffin bases. Soy flakes dyes are completely dissolved, there won't be any clots in the candle mass, and staining will be even. In addition, the finished candle keeps the brightness of the color, the surface is not flaked, does not tarnish with time. These organic soy wax beads could be used as scented 16 pack of wonder dyes, and as Christmas candle supplies, for pillar and glass candle making, candle molds of different shapes and sizes

Our products have the best safety rating. We care about our customers and stand behind our products. That's the only way to go about it. When you buy from us, know, that no matter what, we have your back. Please, be sure to contact us with any questions you might have and we will promptly answer them

Important to know:

1. How to increase the number of shades? The dye for candle making supplies is easily crushed into small pieces, which allows you to mix it with other dyes, thus creating a variety of colors and shades

2. Acceleration of dissolution. To accelerate the process of dissolution of the dye mix with the mass of the candle at a temperature of at least 150 - 170 Â°F degrees

3. How to calculate the required amount of candle wax dye

Dosage depends on the fat content, hardness and purity of candle mass. More dye is required for wax candles. To dye the entire base of paraffin weighing 1 lb., only 0.02-0.06 oz. of dye is sufficient. For soy candle wax weighing the same, you need to add 0.03-0.08 oz.

4. Dyeing of candles can be executed in two ways:

Full dyeing. The candle dye is added to the paraffin mixture of the melted base, and is mixed thoroughly until full solidification, and then poured into a soy candle wax mold

The CandleScience Soy Candle Making Kit has everything you need to make 100% natural soy wax candles. No experience is necessary, making this an ideal kit for anyone who is new to candle making. Our simple step-by-step instructions will guide you through the whole process. This kit contains enough materials to make a total of 12 candles (3 of each fragrance). The kit also includes 100% natural soy wax, pouring/melting pot, pretabbed cotton candles wicks, large candle tins, wick stickers, 12 pc wick bars, warning labels, and a glass thermometer.